ACTINOMYKOSIS. 
521 
I never considered sncli horses as cured of glanders, when no 
more symptoms of the disease could be discovered externally ; for 
the germ of the disease is still existing in the body, in the blood, 
and is liable to burst out again under the effect of a cold chill, or 
of a fever from any cause, traumatic, or not traumatic. 
ACTINOMYKOSIS: A NEW INFECTIOUS DISEASE OF ANIMALS 
AND MANKIND.* 
By George Fleming, F.R.C.V.S., Army Veterinary Inspector. 
{From, the Veterinary Journal.) 
The progress of pathological research is continually demon- 
strating the mighty part played by microscopic vegetable organ¬ 
isms in the production of disease in plants and animals, generally 
leading to their destruction, and with more or less rapidity. The 
feeblest and smallest, as well as the largest and most powerful, 
are alike exposed to the ravages of these invading, relentless foes, 
whose attack is all the more destructive because it nearly always 
cannot be detected at its onset; and their extreme minuteness 
and tenuity, as well as their insidious and obscure manner of op¬ 
erating, are also so many barriers to timely recognition and pro¬ 
tective measures against their assaults. 
The immense destruction caused by minute parasitic fungi upon 
cereal and other useful plants, is only too often experienced by 
agriculturists and others. The mildew of the wheat, for instance, 
arises from the attack of a small fungus—the Puccinia graminis. 
When this little pest becomes multiplied to a great extent, it gives 
rise to most serious consequences. The disease called “ Smut,” 
attacking the flower of the wheat, is the produce of a minute 
parasite—the Uredo segetum ; while the “ Bunt,” or disease in¬ 
volving the seed itself, is caused by another parasitic microscopi¬ 
cal fungus—the Uredo foetida —which, as soon as it enters the 
grain, completely fills it, and replaces the flour by a black, dis- 
*A portion of this paper was read, aud morbid specimens, drawings, aud mi-,, 
croscopical preparations exhibited, at the meeting of the Southern Counties 
Veterinary Medical Association, on October 30th, 1882. 
